Ur—Harah—Cannan. The major chunks of patriarchal narratives are of Abraham, Jacob & Joseph. These are the 3 narrative cycles. Goes back to the same story. 4 elements that came up again. Abraham Cycle 12:1 - 25:18.

Jacob Cycle --- 25:19 36:43

Joseph 12 tribes 37:1 50:26 Act operato Lt

In between there are --- 21-22 Isaac Power of the sacraments

& 25-27 Isaac By doing the act / work

Which are the religious messages The effect is done

1.Promise / blessing

2.Election

3.Covenantà tole dot = descendents / generations

4.Law.

In the Book of Genesis you have the first 3, in the Pentateuch there are all the 4 threads.

These 3 themes come again & again in all these 3 cycles. Of the Patriarchs

Literary context are folk stories, terms used were symbolic not accurate.

Great Amorite migration , Common cultural practices were taken from the Amorites,

These stories are backed by archeological discoveries. When a man did not have a heir, Sara asked him to take her maid slave to have their child.

Ie Jacobs wife Labaan carrying of idols, marriages, business customs. The Amorites were connected with the semantic groups

Ch 12:1-9 The call & the blessing.(J)

11:27f Terah. Father of Abraham.

Sarah is barren & without a child

Originally Ur of Chaldeans à moving to Canaan.

Leave your native land & family 4b-5 (P). This text is a result of (P) editor an elaboration of the earlier text.

Ch 12 is a narration of the (J) tradition.

The narrative has deep religious message; old primitive stories too have a deep religious message. They are deep truth in the garb of a narrative.

The narration has grown with time Vs 6. Shekem becomes a important religious center.

Election is not a privilege but for service, to be chosen is not for enjoyment, you are accountable. The Blessing is for the benefit of all. So that in your name all nation will be blessed. Abraham follows Gods plan not his gut feeling.

Promise involves better future = (land), progeny = descendents.

Gods blessing is described in materialistic terms = land & descendents.

Abraham still believes even though the promises are not realized immediately.

His faith in the promise is tested, we will see a series of tests

Abraham response to the promise is faith

Abraham goes & sets up an Alter

Living faith

12:10-13:1.

The women in danger endangers the promise of God. This is the threat to the ancestors.

This passage fore shadows the danger of the people. People will be wiped out with the decree of the pharaoh.

Ch 12:21. Ref NJBC.

Ch 13:2-18. Abraham & Lot go separate ways.

Vs 5-7. Describes the conflict; here the danger is with the community, strife with the community. How does Ab sort this out.

Vs 10-13. Ab gives his nephew the choice, he has a magnanimous heart. He gives the choice to the person who has a lesser right. Lot chose the materials that would help him prosper. Lot chooses with a materialistic point of view.

One who chooses more looses more. One who chooses less chooses wisely

Vs 10-13. Lots choice.

Vs 14-17. Promise is renewed & God takes it forward, God will move forward in spite of the problem. The promise is progressive.

Trace the development in the theme of the promise & blessing ?

Ch 14:1-24; Ch 15:1-21; Ch 16: 1-16

15:1 promise; 15:6 Covenant.

14:1-24. Promise renewed thro Malachi Vs 17-20. Ab goodness in the large heartedness. Ab rushes to help Lot. Ab maintains family loyalty. He has absolute faith in God.

When we believe in Gods blessing, there are ups & downs, an anticipation of the challenge. It looks in to the difficulties of the future.

This passage is mostly (Y) tradition

Accept Vs 3a, 5, 13-16. which is (E)

(E) is the Northern Tradition-----------------à Covenant with Moses the Sinai Covenant.

(D) & (P) are the Southern Tradition

1st we are Gods reassurance which anticipates the difficulties that Ab & his descendents will encounter. We are Xtians when we are promised the blessing of JC. Do the difficulties in life lessen Gods promise, Gods fidelity thro. His promise continue.

b.Circumcision. Male circumcision was a normal practice in Egypt, what was a cultural

practice now was given a religious meaning.

Circumcision is a outer sign of the closeness. Just as in this matter of promise the emphasis will shift from the material to the spiritual, with regards to symbols from the external to the internal.

Ch 18:1- 15. à Ab & his encounter with the 3 guests, the hospitality story reflects the customs of the time. Hospitality was expected. Abs behaviour shows a hospitality even beyond the hospitality of his time. (E) sees in this story an evidence of an encounter with the divine. Because when the guests communicate (E sees) with Ab & Sarah, they dialogue about the promise. The 3 guests further the promise on behalf of God.

Ch 18:16-33. à Ab intercedes, shows Ab as a man of faith, man of concern. He cared about not only Lot but also the innocent people of Sodom & Gomorrah. Ab dialogues with God to get the blessing on his people. Ab is a man of concern, rather then wishing the people evil he wishes them good. Ab is also concerned about the evil people. He wants the innocent people to be saved. God is gracious, God goes out of his way to save them. He is a merciful God. God goes out of his way to be generous.

Ch 19:1-29. à Sodom & Gomorrah & the sparing of Lot. Sodom & Gomorrah became another word for wickedness. There were no more social & moral values. The people were homosexuals.

The Biblical authors used ancient stories to give religious messages. Wickedness is punished. Abs goodness has a saving effect because of the goodness of Ab Lot is saved. The saving effect of a good person Ab & Lot in history. Act of graciousness of God.

21:1-21. à Birth of Isaac. Here all three traditions merge. The Birth of Isaac was not of human work but a design of God. God here is specially at work. This is a birth by blessing. We see that the blessing & the promise is enhanced.

God fulfills his promise to Ab of the birth of a son.

Vs 1-7. The blessing is fulfilled.

Vs 8-21 Hagar & Ishmail are expelled.

Despite of human ups & downs God still protects. God works good even out of evil.

Vs 22-34. treaty with Abraham. Ab was a man of peace.

22:1-19. à Abs faith tested. The tribal stories were connected with particular Holy places. Sacrifice of the son is reflected in the book of Kings. Child sacrifice like the temple post was a part of the Cannanite religious practice. The first fruit was offered to please the God. Sacrifice of the son was replaced by the animal.

In the story Isaac is depicted as the innocent son. God is pleased with the sacrifice of the animal. Ab readiness to sacrifice his son to God shows his total faithfulness to God. God does not want Ab to sacrifice his son. The story helps to understand that that God does not want child sacrifice.

External symbolism becomes internal realityà Mica 6:6-8.

The prophet corrects wrong notion.

23:1-20. à Purchase of burial site for Sarah.

Ab was a nomad not a settler . Gods promise of he getting the land is still not fulfilled. The purchase of a burial site for Sarah is a symbolic realization of the promised land. Symbolic fulfillment of Gods promise. Ab had 2 sons & no land. The city of Hebron is known for its sacred burial site dedicated to the memory of Abraham, Sarah & Isaac.

24:1-67. à (J) The marriage of Isaac & Rebecca. The customs reflected in the passage are in keeping with the marriage customs of that time. They got married within the clan. Marriage of Isaac is placed in this passage as a progression of the promise & blessing.

25:1-18. à Tole dot = in between a narrative section there is a genealogy.

24th August 2008

The Jacob & Isaac Cycle: Gen 25:19 – 36:43.

OVERVIEW:

What does the author want to tell us by the life & struggle of Jacob? The Bible is evaluating the personalities; we see that even their weaknesses are evaluated. The Bible never hides the sins of it heroes.

Jacob is shown exploiting the hunger of his brothers Esau

25:29-34Vs 29. Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. Vs 30. He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom. ) Vs 31 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright. " Vs 32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" Vs 33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Vs 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.

Jacob is a bargainer; it represents the personality traits of the people. They are good bargainers. Blessing of the father was associated with inheritance. He cunningly exploits / deceives his blind old father to obtain his blessings 27:1-45. At that time the blessing was very important for with it came the inheritance

27:18-35. Vs 18 He went to his father and said, "My father." "Yes, my son," he answered. "Who is it?" Vs 19. Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing." Vs 20. Isaac asked his son, "How did you find it so quickly, my son?" "The LORD your God gave me success, " he replied. Vs 21. Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not." Vs 22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau." Vs 23. He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him. Vs 24. "Are you really my son Esau?" he asked. "I am," he replied. Vs 25. Then he said, "My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing." Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. Vs 26. Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come here, my son, and kiss me."Vs 27. So he went to him and kissed him . When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed. Vs 28. May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness -- an abundance of grain and new wine. Vs 29. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed. " Vs 30. After Isaac finished blessing him and Jacob had scarcely left his father's presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting. Vs 31. He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, "My father, sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing." Vs 32. His father Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" "I am your son," he answered, "your firstborn, Esau. " Vs 33. Isaac trembled violently and said, "Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him--and indeed he will be blessed! "Vs 34. When Esau heard his father's words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, "Bless me--me too, my father!"Vs 35. But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing."

To save his life he flees 28:10. he goes to Haran. Here the cheater becomes the cheated 29:21 ff. Just as he had exploited his brother Esau, his uncle Laban exploited him. Despite Laban cheating him he prospers. Ch 30,31. Jacobs flight, pursuit. Finally he makes peace

Ch 32. Through the ups & downs with Jacobs life à Gods promise still prevails.

Situational context, he is running away from the wrath of Esau before the struggle of Laban. J puts the story that God is with him, he has a personal experience of God. This is described in a dream 28:11, 18.

28:11. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.

28:18. Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.

This is why Bethel became a sacred place because Jacob had a God experience, when his life was in danger & he had no future / & things were uncertain. In this experience the promise made to Abraham is renewed. Vs 28:13-15.

Vs 13.There above it stood the Lord, and he said: "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.

Vs 14. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. Vs 15. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. "

He dreamt that there was a ladder between him & heaven,

Vs 12. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

there is a connection with God, this connection is shown by the representatives messengers / angels of God E He felt Gods presence. When God said that I’m the God of Abraham & Isaac, God is continuing his fidelity. God is not only present he renews his promise. God does not leave us without strengthening us in a time of danger. He renews his promise by 3 folds ie land, descendents & blessing 28:14.

Ch 12 :1-3Vs 1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. Vs 2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. Vs 3. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. "

Because Gods presence is personal, all embracing. Jn 16:14, 15.à Vs 14. He (God) will glorify me because he will take what is mine & declare it to you. Vs 15. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine & declare it to you.

Universal presence of Jesus

We see that the promise is moving towards fulfillment. Election is not a personal choice, God is not excluding others, and Gods choice is an expanding choice.

Then Jacob awoke from his dream, the Y & E tradition passage. Surely God was in this place.Ch 28:17 He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." Awesome / afraid = respect for God.

Jacob realizes through his ups & downs that God is still faithful. God keeps his part of the promise.

Jacob Wrestles With God 32:22-32 à22. That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26. Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."27. The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. 28. Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." 29. Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there. 30. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared." 31. The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob's hip was touched near the tendon.

Vs 23-26: The religious message: Jacob in his struggle with God manages to obtain Gods Blessings Vs 28. Jacob is named Israel = meaning that he who strives with God survives. Israel= Man who struggles with God prevails in Gods blessing

Vs 25-26. Name Jacob means The man who caught his brothers heals. A change in name signifies a significant advancement is taking place in Israel’s history

In Abraham the salvation history is begun

In Jacob (Israel) à Jacob is the father of the 12 tribes of Israel.

To give a new name is to have power over the person.

Vs 29-30. Since Jacob could not find the name of God, all he could do was to name the place, He called it Peniel. à Peni el, Peni=Face, He felt Gods presence, he met God face to face.

He comes out successful but humbled & grumpy.

Vs 32: Till today the Israelites do not eat the meat of the thigh.

To conclude: As Jacobs cycle progresses, Gods promise moves on, despite family disputes & clan wars (Israel nomadic movements) We have our ups & downs in life is to be protected under Gods protecting hand. Despite his struggles, Jacob overcame all the obstacles. Even though the motive & behavior of some individuals may be crooked & sinful like Jacob God still writes straight on crooked lines. Gods keeps his part of the promise. Gads plans will be carried forward in fulfillment.

In his encounter with God Jacob in Ch 32 he immerges as a man with a new destiny, signified with a change of his name

Ch 35. One gets a picture of Jacob as a person who is closer & more faithful to God

Ch 35: 2. So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes

Gods promise is fulfilled :- Jacobs many sons.

Ch 35: 23. The sons of Leah: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. 24. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25. The sons of Rachel's maidservant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali. 26. The sons of Leah's maidservant Zilpah: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.

Summery of the life of Jacob 47:9And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers. "

Abraham 25:8.Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.

Isaac :- 35:29. Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

III Cycle. Joseph’s Cycle 37:1 – 50:26

This is a more continuous narrative. Story of Joseph is written as an entire story. It has certain similarities to non Biblical Books, The story of 12 brothers, In the Josephs story there are 12 brothers. Joseph was the favorite of his father, this is a story of jealousy, rivalry, & betrayal. Joseph is wronged but he is not totally right, this story starts in 37:1 – 50:26. In this story the predominant figure is Joseph. We also have Jude & Benjamin, because these two tribes will be dominant kingdoms of the southern kingdom. The 2 dominant northern kingdoms were Ephraim & Manasseh, these were the sons of Joseph.

The Joseph Story is like a bridge between existence of Israel, between the land of Canaan & the land of Egypt. It describes the situation, the descendents of Jacob who were nomads in Canaan came to be scoffed in Egypt, Ist they were welcomed then they were enslaved. On another level the Joseph story shows that God can bring good out of Evil. Joseph was thrown in a pit because of the jealousy of the brothers but it was foreigners who were Midianites who were sent by Gods providence. In Egypt Joseph became a interpreter of dreams, & he comes to belong to the house pf the pharaoh. Who gives him an important responsibility.

God makes good out of bad.

One who is throw out becomes a savior. The story of Joseph is a predicament of Jesus. The rejected, betrayed, persecuted becomes a savior. Joseph was sold, Jesus was also sold for thirty pieces of silver.

Para 60 Good into to the Joseph Story.

At the folk story level many parts of the Joseph’s story reflect / emphasize the values of family life:-

-masters Wife, Joseph appears as a noble person

-brothers, forgiveness.

-Has very strong family loyalties, despite the wrong of his brothers.

-He saves them & forgives them.

-He wants his father

-He wants to see his younger brother

-Joseph is forgiving loyal son & brother, he is a loyal servant.

The religious message is the role that God plays, God also works through foreign elements. In Is 45 God calls Cyrus his servant. Gods role is to lead individuals through the ups & downs of history, towards the fulfillment of his plan. God will not take away your dangers & disappointments in life but his plan will over come all obstacles & dangers which are put there by human beings.

Ch 37. Joseph is being introduced; he is a tail carrier & the youngest

Vs 7. He wanted to be more dominant, then his brothers, God will use he being a dreamer, in his later years, & he could save his people.

Ch 39: 6 So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,

Even though Joseph was an attractive person, Joseph does not betray his family values. He does not betray his master, but respects him.

Goodness is finally rewarded Vs 13.

Ch 41 : 46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh's presence and traveled throughout Egypt.

Joseph was 30 years when he entered Pharaoh service / Jesus was 30 years when he started his ministry. Joseph was a trust worthy person.

Ch 46 : 6-8.

6. Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph's brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7. As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan," they replied, "to buy food." 8. Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

Joseph was the governor of the land, now he has the power to help his people.

to buy food

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Like Jesus on the way to Amos was not recognized, Joseph too was not recognized.

43:7. have another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?"

Joseph was tender & caring.

44:4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, "Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid good with evil?

He is confronting them with their evil they did with him.

45:1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers

Joseph was very emotional

Vs. 45:13.Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly. "

Vs 14. Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping.

Vs 21. So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.

He gave them wagon full of food.

46: Vs 6.They also took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt.

Vs 7. He took with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters--all his offspring.

Jacob (Israel) makes a journey. He took them to Egypt. We then have the genealogy Vs 8ff.

50:22. Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father's family. He lived a hundred and ten yearsVs 23. and saw the third generation of Ephraim's children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph's knees

Vs 22. long life, faithful a better person. Ephraim & Manasseh are the leaders of the clans.